


Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Consort

by CourierNinetyTwo



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-02
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-31 05:40:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1027903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just because they're both spies for High Command doesn't mean they get along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Consort

"How exactly do you get a job like yours?"

Aethyta had to give Sha’ira some credit. The matron could turn off the serene act like a switch, wrist snapping up to bring up her omnitool and lock the doors behind them. She turned back to the mirror where she had been adjusting platinum jewelry on her crest, as if the question hadn’t been asked at all.

"What do you want, Aethyta?" Sha’ira finally muttered, sliding open a drawer to reveal an impressive amount of makeup, including concealers that could alter or enhance her markings. Expensive stuff.

"My handler said you had some information for me." Aethyta leaned back against the wall, glancing around the rest of the room. How Sha’ira could stand to sleep in that egg-shaped bed, she couldn’t imagine.

Then again, the younger asari probably didn’t do very much sleeping. Not here, anyway.

"And that took a personal visit?" Sha’ira began to highlight her face with a thick silver powder, fingers moving with precise strokes. She hated costume parties. "There’s a reason encryption was invented."

"I was told I wasn’t allowed to make a copy. I’d rather hear it in person than some self-destructing varren-shit." Aethyta crossed her arms. "Really, I’m saving the techs a few credits."

Sha’ira finished the last touches on the makeup and closed the case, using a wipe to clean her hands of every last speck, leaving her matching nail polish intact. “I got my job by being discreet, if you have to know. As a result, I have the ear of generals, assassins, and politicians at the very top of their game.”

Aethyta raised a brow. “As long as you stay on your back.”

Sha’ira turned, face sharply framed by the makeup and details of the metal. The matron looked like a creature from ancient myth, one of the blessed huntresses that accompanied the goddess Kurinth, born of steel and breathed into life.

"I’d do anything for Thessia’s sake, Aethyta. Would you?"

A soft chuckle left the matriarch’s lips. “More than you know, girl. But they don’t really like to listen. You’ll figure that out at some point.”

"I have a party to attend." Sha’ira grabbed her small purse, checking to ensure the audio-visual tracker was still functioning. "Dalatrass Balel recently purchased forty-nine percent of stocks in several companies overseeing eezo distribution on Illium. The yearly summit to set prices and protect the industry’s monopoly is in a matter of days."

Aethyta cursed under her breath. “I assume whoever owns the leftover stocks is going to be there.”

"Jala T’Kari recently inherited five percent in the same companies from her mother’s will. She’s young and likes to party with a very public list of guests." Sha’ira said.

"And if she dies-" The matriarch began.

"She hasn’t bothered to write her own will yet." Sha’ira started to move towards the door, bringing up her omnitool to unlock it. "Enjoy playing bodyguard."

Aethyta shrugged. “It’s not a bad gig if you can get it.”

"Nothing compared to mine." Sha’ira’s smile was a predatory flash of white teeth before her expression fell into place, tone shifting back to smooth and serene. "Athame bless your path, Aethyta."

Watching the younger asari vanish down the hall, Aethyta let out a deep breath and prepared to make plans for a flight to Illium. That would never stop being really damn creepy.


End file.
